US2468840A - Heater for wort kettles - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1949. R. c. scHocK ,2,458,840

I' HEATER FOR WORT KEmTLEs Filed May'zv, 1944 I t svsneets-sneet 1 /vn ATTORN EY May 3,1949.k Rjc. SC'HQCK 2,468,840

HEATER FOR woRT KETTLES Filed May 27, 1.944 v 1'5 Shee-ts-Sheet 2 n 15@ j s n 'J U .Biff r. u t l1 v U C* n 1 0 i 4 v 4 ya a n 36 i f3 4 24 17 U l 10 W *Lfd E* r. j Z2 I 63 69 f ZZ 22' I5' Jl,

` 4M A 79a "32 3 :A3 tiff@ 24 79 1,2%;

Z 'if/ a .lNvx-:NTQR

1 Rae/" ,ffa

@.2 SYM-)W /v/J ATTORNEY R. C. SACHOCK HEATER FOR WORT KETTLES May 3, 1949.

Filed May 27, 1944 S'She'ets-Sheet 3 patented May 3, 1.949,

HEATER FOR WORT KETTLES Robert C. Schock, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor to Schock, Gusmer & Co. Inc., Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New `Hersey Application May 27, 1944, Serial No. 537,646

1 Claim.

This invention relates to means and methods of heating wort prior to its use in the makingA of beer.

One object of the invention is to subject the wort in the wort kettle to a heat action in order to gradually increase the heat of the wort throughout its mass, and then to further increase its heat content, until the desired evaporation has been obtained. At the same time the wort mass is subjected to increasing `velocities of circulation currents, in order to bring the wort to the desired temperature as quickly as possible, and to facilitate evaporation of the excess water, the circulation of the Wort being from the central portion of the wort kettle to the perimeter thereof, and the transfer of heat from the heat source to the wort being assisted by convection currents. On the one hand, the higher temperatures are particularly important on account of their actions upon the constituents of the Wort in the kettle, and on the other hand, the provision of convection current circuits within the main circulation current are also important to assure a rapid and thorough heating.

The invention comprises a heating unit having varying heat units supplied to it for their exchange with a mass to be heated, and to keep said mass heated, such exchange taking pla-ce rst at relativelylower temperatures, then at relatively higher temperatures, and then again at lower temperatures, the latter if desired.

The invention comprises, in certain of its embodiments, in addition to the means for circulating the mass to be heated, the provision of supplementary r booster circulation means particularly applicable to larger sized kettles.

More particularly, the invention includes a heating unit of circular form, disposed above its supporting wall to allow for passage of the wort or other mass between it and said wall, said heating unit being connected with a heating medium supply and with a discharge for the same, and with regulating means for said supply of heating medium at temperatures corresponding to low and high pressure steam. Also, it includes a heating unit divided into two compartments each with a supply and discharge for the heating medium, or in two separate heating units superposed upon each other, or otherwise disposed in relation to each other. Such two, or more heating units, in certain embodiments, are so disposed in relation to the mass to be heated as to assist in the heat transfer of the heat source to the mass being heated.

The method consists in subjecting a liquid mass to the action of increments of heat of increasing temperatures, simultaneously circulating thereby the liquid mass to and away from said heat action, radially thereof, and subjecting said circulating liquid mass to a high temperature heat action thereby increasing the velocity of said circulation to the highest practically obtainable.

Supplementary and synchronously acting heatin(y units may be, in accordance with other embodiments of the invention, provided to boost or augment the main circulation flow of the wort, to the end that the desired temperature of the entire body of the wort be achieved as quickly as possible.

When charges of hops are added, such hops are thoroughly circulated in contact with the heated wort and agitated therewith, to extract from the hop leaves the desired constituents, the high temperature and oxygenation of the hop constituents being especially beneficial.

Having attained the desired evaporation, the heat transfer to the Wort can be again reduced, such reduced heat transfer being desirable to prevent the cooling of the Wort prior to its transfer to the hop separator.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be nally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of the Wort kettle showing in elevation one embodiment of the improved heat exchangers and a, stea-m supply diagram;

Fig, 2 is a vertical central section of the heat exchangers shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken on line 3,-3 of Fig. l or on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the circulating currents actuated by the use of heat exchangers such as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various Views.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, the wort kettle lil is suitably supported by standards il, and is provided with a Wort supply pipe i3d, and wort discharge pipe i2, all as well known.

The invention consists in the provision of a. heater or heat exchanger I5, which in the embodiment, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is formed of a casing of copper or other metal of low specc heat, that is, good heat conductivity. This casing is preferably vertically elongated and extends in a circle substantially concentric With the vertical axis of the kettle It. The bottom of thegiessen casing is a suitable distance above the bottom of the tank to provide a space i6 for the passage of the Wort and to prevent the casing from partitioning off one part of the wort in the tank from another part. Steam inlet pipes I1 and I8 and condensed steam discharge pipes I9 and 2U, serve to support the casing. Other suitable supporting means may be provided, and the steam inlet and discharge pipes may be otherwise disposed, though the form shown has decided advantages and forms part of the invention,

The steam inlet pipes I'I and I3 are each provided at one end exterior to the tank with `connecting pipes 2l and 22, which in turn are connected with a steam boiler or steam supply. These steam inlet pipes Il and I3 extend upwardly above the tank bottom, and into the casing of the heat exchanger I5. These pipes il and I8 are provided along one side thereof with openings I8a which cause the steam to discharge from these pipes in the form of jets directed in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 4. This direction can be reversed, if desired, by providing the jet opening on the opposite sides. Each series of jets takes a semi-circular horizontal path until the steam sheet formed by the jets passes by the diametrically opposite steam jet pipe and merges with the jets emitted from the latter pipe. The diameter of the pipes Il and I8 is smaller than the radial distance between the concentric walls 2t and 2l oi the casing IEa of the heat exchanger I5, and the lateral spaces thus formed around the pipes provide passages for a continuously rotating steam flow. In consequence, the steam ow takes a circular path circumferentially in the casing, passing around and around, and gives up its heat by conduction and radiation through the walls of the casing to the wort or other matter contiguous to the outer Walls of the casing. As the heat is transferred to the liquid wort, steam condenses and the oondensed steam or condensate descends, and is discharged through the condensate pipes i9 and 2li having openings Isa and 20a, which pipes are connected with a suitable exhaust.

The principle underlying the operation of the invention is that steam enters the compartment of the casing Ilia at the beginning of the operation at low pressure of about 5 pounds and at about 227 F., after the level of the Wort being supplied to the wort kettle has reached the top of the compartment 3l) or passed slightly above the same. The supply of wort which has a temperature of about 145 F. to 160 F. absorbs heat from the heat exchanger by heat exchange, and the Wort is heated thereby, receiving thereby a preliminary heating. This heating sets up convection currents in the wort. The Warmer wort rises along the vertical sides of the casing, and the stream thus formed moves radially outwards toward the vertical kettle walls, then descends along the same, and moves radially inwards through the space I6 between the bottom of the casing I5a and the bottom of the kettle IE), to join the upward movement of the wort along the vertical inner and outer sides of the casing, thus distributing the heat received from the heat exchanger throughout the liquid mass. When the preliminary heating of the wort mass reaches the desired temperature, high pressure live steam of about 30 pounds or 274 F. is fed into the supply pipe and into the compartment. Further heat :from the highly heated heat exchanger I 5 is thus transferred to the wort, and the foregoing circulation is considerably increased. The ebullition is increased, and the bubbles ascend under in creasing rapidity, thus increasing the velocity of the convection currents before described, and quickening the heating of the liquid mass. When the mass of the wort throughout has reached the desired temperature and the evaportion has been completed, the steam of high pressure is shut off. The low pressure steam may now be supplied to the compartment 30 of the casing Ia to provide heat to the wort to compensate for any heat losses of the Wort while its upper surface and the tank is exposed to the cooling eiect of room temperature or while the wort is being drawn off to the hop separator.

Prior to the shutting oii of the high pressure steam from the compartment 30, one or more charges of hop leaves are added to the wort, and these follow the mass circulation of the wort and are agitated therewith to the end of extracting from the hop its desired constituents.

The heating of the contents of the kettle from the rst entry of the low pressure steam into the heat exchanger is in gradually increasing temperatures, in that iirst the convection currents and then the mass circulation is gradually increased and then such gradual heating is made uniform throughout. The temperature range at these lower levels is such as to act beneficiallyv upon certain ingredients of the wort. The temperature of the heat exchanger is then increased to the highest of the high pressure steam, and this higher temperature range is particularly important, because, iirst, it increases the velocity or" the circulation of the mass in its passage over the outer walls of the heat exchanger, and secondly, also increases the velocity of the mass circulation along the level of the contents of the kettle, to expose as much o1 the contents to the oxygen of the atmosphere above said level. These I higher temperatures of the mass act upon certain ingredients beneficial to the end result desired, namely, the production of a satisfactory wort. The molecular contact of the mass with the highly heated walls of the heat exchanger subject such contacting molecules to the high temperatures of the walls, and these high temperatures again act beneficially upon the constituents.

For a part of the operation, the damper 82 of the vapor stack 8i is so regulated, the man hole cover 83 being closed, as to increase the vapor pressure and thus increase the boiling point of the mass, which also subjects the Wort to such higher temperatures. When the boiling point has thus been increased to the extent desired, and as possible by the vapor pressure obtainable, then the cover 83 is opened, and the valve in the stack opened, either partially or entirely, and a circulation oi air produced, which exposes the circulating mass at its uppermost portion to such air or with oxygen during its high velocity of movement. The high velocities of the mass circulation bring about a large exposure to such air, which oxygen has a particularly beneiicial effect upon the hop ingredients.

To one skilled in the art, this high temperature range will be apparent, in that many constituents lof the wort and of the hop, change their character at such higher temperatures, and such changes are beneficial to the production of the Wort with its hops preparatory to its further treatment in the making of beer.

To hasten the heat exchange action described, the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, has tWo superposed compartments in ar casing such as described, the compartments 3l? and 3| being formed by a horizontal partition 32 circumferentially disposed. 'The steam inlet pipes are so arranged that the lower compartment is supplied with steam by one jet pipe I'I, and the compartment 3| by the jet pipe I8, as shown in Fig. 2.'

It is desirable in order to avoid carmelization of the Wort to permit the level of the wort to ascend to about the level of the partition 32 before turning on the steam into the lower compartment 30. After the wort has been given a preliminary heating by low pressure steam, then high pressure steam is applied. The slower circulation of the mass in the beginning is then increased in velocity, and this preliminary body of wort is thereby heated. At the same time, the incoming supply of wort through the supply pipe I3a, gradually raises the level of the wort, and this additional supply joins in the mass circulation while the lower compartment 3| is being supplied with high pressure steam. When the level of the wort extends above the top of the compartment 3l, then rst low pressure steam and then high pressure steam may be supplied thereto, or high pres-` sure steam alone, and the foregoing heating of the wort and circulation of the mass correspondingly increased. For simplicity of manufacture, I have shown one casing with two compartments, but two independent casings one superposed upon the other could be used.

When the wort has been subjected to sufficient excess water evaporation to the extent well known, the high pressure steam supply is shut off from either or both .of the compartments, and low pressure steam may be supplied to either or both of the compartments, to provide the cornpensatory heat transfer before referred to.

To amplify the mass circulation, another part of the invention is the provision of a subsidiary heat exchanger.

This is shown in the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which has another heat exchanger 40 constructed generally like the heat exchanger I5, but of larger diameter and preferably with only one compartment. It is substantially concentric with the rst and smaller diameter heat exchanger I5. The relative proportions of both heat exchangers and kettle are shown in Fig. 1. The spacing between the lower part of the casing MI and the'bottom of the kettle is somewhat larger, to provide for the larger mass of the circulating current flow of the wort. The heat exchanger 48 is placed intermediately of the heat exchanger I5 and the vertical walls of the kettle III. This heat exchanger 40 is provided with low pressure steam only, and is specially advantageous in order to set up independent convection currents. It is preferable not to supply high pressure steam to this larger heat exchanger since the ebullition set up adjacent to it, may set up secondary currents in the wort which might disturb the mass `circulation above described and produced by the inner heat exchanger, whereas the use of low pressure steam in the heat exchanger 40 sufliciently heats the adjacent body of wort to set up convection currents subsidiary to and in augmentation of the main current set up by the inner heat exchanger when high pressure steam is used therein. The heat exchanger 4I] thus acts in the nature of a booster of the main current. The main current moves upwardly centrally of the tank induced by the hollow interior of the inner heat exchanger, and as the upward movement of the wort is most violent at the center thereof, the mass must move radially outwards toward the vertical wall of the circular kettle, then downwardly, and then radially inwards, to again ascend centrally of the heat exchanger I 5, as shown generally in Fig. 5. In a larger kettle, such a circulation as just described would set up a pocket circumferentially disposed in which eddy currents would form and the whirls thereof may captivate some of the wort rendering it less subject to the heat transfer intended. Or, hop leaves may gather in such pockets. To overcome such objectionable features, the outer heat exchanger 40 is so placed as to subject this portion to a controlled circulation which merges into the main circulation, as shown in Fig. 5. It is important Ito note that the molecules of the wort which pass contiguously to the hot walls of the heat exchangers are subjected to the high temperatures thereof, which promptly bring about ebullition, the heat exchange of high temperature acting upon the constituents of the wort and hop while the mass is rapidly moving by its momentum along the exterior surfaces of the heat exchangers.

In Fig. 5 is shown, the main circulation current 'I5 from the central part 16 outwards. In the pockets of this main current 15 produced by heat exchanger I5, the heat exchanger 40 is placed which sets up a subsidiary current 'I1 which is subsidiary to the main current and not in conict therewith.

It is seen that in addition to a heat exchanger in which heating fluids of varying heat properties give up their heat to the Wort in exchange for the lower temperature heat passing from the wort to the heat exchanger, the positioning of such a heat exchanger, or a plurality of the same, is such as to set up in the wort advantageous convection currents to transfer the heat abstracted from the heat exchangers throughout the body of the wort, in addition to the heat transfer to the wort when it is contiguous to the heat exchangers. The positioning of the heat exchangers is such as to avoid setting up currents which may be impeded by the heat exchangers, and in fact, is such as to set into operation a dominant mass circulation.

The general dimensions -of one practical installation are as follows:

`Diameter of kettle: 18 feet; shell height: 8 feet; diameter of outer heat exchanger: 8 feet; diameter of inner heat exchanger: 38 inches; height of outer heat exchanger: 3 feet; height of inner heat exchanger: 5 feet; space from bottom of tank of inner heat exchanger: 9 inches; space from bottom of tank of outer heat exchanger: two feet nine inches; radial distance between casing walls of inner heat exchanger: 3 inches.

These dimensions apply to one installation; Installations dier in respect to locality and capacity, and smaller or larger dimensions would be applicable.

The pressures and temperatures of the saturated steam are as follows:

Gage Abs. press., press., Tnp" p. s. 1. p. s. i.

The steam 1n condensing, gives up its latent heat-.fof vapcriaationrand: imparts to .the pipes latent; heat which. becomes free and by conductiorrwheats. thesllrlounding medium. The ex-v pansionof the interior layers, of the surrounding massras the wort, causesthem to become less denseY and risel in the mass, and these are` replaced-by the colder and denser layers. The quantity of heatv lost or gained `in a second is proportional to the difference between the temperature of the heat source and that of the sur.- roundingmass, untilf a point is reached where the'quantity of heat emitted by the heat source is :equal to that absorbed by the mass, and the temperature of themass then remains stationary.

In? Fig. 1, there is also shown a diagram of pipe connections in order to supply the low and high pressure steam to the vertical pipes of the heat exchangers I and-eil in gradual increments. A steam inlet from a boiler or other sourceof steam isindicated by. 50. A pipe 5I leads to two branches 52 and 53. In branch 52 is a high Pressure valve 5d, with gauge 55, and this branch; 52 has two further pipes 55 and 5l, each with a valve 58` and 59. The branch 53 has a low pressure valve S with a gauge El. The branch 53 has-two pipes iand A63 each with a valve B4 and 65; The .pipe 22is connected with the junction of pipes 56 and 62, and the `pipe 2i is connected withthe junction of pipes 5l and $3. A pipe 68 having a valve 59 is connected with the jet pipe 24of the heat exchanger 4m. The operation is as:u follows: With valves 58 and is closed, and valves 64, i5and 69 open, low pressure steam enters thek jet pipes of the heat exchangers. With valve 58 openfvalve td'closed, high pressure steam I enters the jet pipe I8. With valve 59 open, valve 65.41c1osed, high pressuresteam `enters the jet pipe IT;

The break of theywort in the kettle affects the hop'zcharacter of the beer, and the break among other things, depends onthe boiling conditions.

Thedraft on a stack` of a kettle willvary from dayzto day, and even during any one day, due to differences in barometric pressure. The amount of evaporation will vary with the draft. More of a break is obtained by a vigorous boiling. The vigorousness of the boiling of the kettle varies with the draft. By regulating the draft, the same boiling conditionsfor .each brew approximately the-same coagulation of the proteins can be obtained: other things beingequal. Similarly by regulatingy the steaminlets in accordance with chartsfbased upon recording thermometer readings, thevelocitiesof the mass can be determined, the .thermometer being suitably placed, as known, Within the kettle,A and the recording apparatus outside of the kettle.

The amountV of protein thrown out of the wort, and which makes up most of the break, will be less-'with a quiet-,boiling kettle or one which just simmers than with a Wort which boils vigorously.

The wort kettle lil is closed at its top by its roof 86 having a stack 8i and a valve B2. By regulating l:the valve 82, the pressure;above the level of thefwort is varied, thejl pressuredncreasing when the valve 82 is closed, and thereby the boiling point of the wort and its ebullition is varied. Pressure increases the boiling point, increases the heat content of the mass assuring the desired actions. The amount oi vaporization is also varied. On the other hand, the heat input under the high pressure steam heat exchange increases the vigorousness of the agitation. Thus, by a regulation of these factors, the results desired nany brewery depending upon the wishes ofthe brewmaster can be kept substantially uniform by the attendants.

The high pressure steam referred to hereinvis from 25 to 5,0 pounds, the low pressure is from 5 to 9 lbs. The wort temperature when it enters the tank is about from to 160 F.

The invention then comprises the subjection of the wort to a graduated preliminary heating and then to nal heating by varying heat properties of the heat medium. It may be applied to other embodiments than described. The embodiments may be variously disposed within the kettle and cause an automatic convection current flow. The presently preferred embodiment has the advantage of requiring relatively small heat exchangers thus saving in material costs, and in utilizing the sloping or dished bottom for providing a gravity action for the wort inducing a flo-W towards the central part of the tank and towards the heat exchanger. The radially outward flow along the level of the wort is propelled by the ascending heated wort in the bore adjacent the heat exchanger. To aid in such outward iiow, the casing or the heat exchanger may be provided with heat dissipating fins, which fins may be shaped to increase the upward flow at the central port of the kettle, or the vanes may be shaped to give a rotary movement to the body of the wort at the same time maintaining the convection current and the main circulation before described.

The heat exchangers for varying heat deliveries may have other applications than to the heating of wort, for instance, when a body to be heated is desired to be subjected to a preliminary heating under one temperature range, and then have the heatdelivered to the body under another temperature range, under controlled increments. In the embodiments, the condensed steam may be subjected to reheatingor the like, and thus placed again into circulation through the casing. Instead of steam, another heat exchange medium of any practical form may be utilized.

rihe characteristic of the present speciiic embodiments is that the steam inlets-or jets circulate horizontally in the casing and preferably supplement each other when more than one supply is utilized, and by such horizontal movement supply the circular walls of the casing with heat, the upper part of the casing providing probably more heat than the lower part due to thellarger jet holes at the top and the pressure-in the Vertical steam supply pipes, which has the advantage of enabling the cooler mass of the wort to impinge rst upon the cooler portion, andv when partly heated being then subjected to higher tempera tures, providing thereby a greater and a more needful diierential at that locality.

I have described several forms of my invention, but obviously various changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set out in the following claim.

What I claim is:

In a wort kettle having a vertical cylindrical portion and a substantially horizontal bottom for said cylindrical portion, and having means for heating the contents of the kettle,v the combination of a centrally disposed hollow cylindrical member with its lower end in lproximity to'said bottom, and its axis centrally dispo-sed` substantially coincident with the axis of the kettle, said cylindrical member being radially Withinsaid iirst heating means for heating the Wortsat 4the central part of the kettle. to move the central part of 9 the wort upwardlyI and to set up a circulation of the wort radially outwards at the level of the wort, downwardly along the walls of the kettle and radially inwards at the bottom of the kettle, a

horizontal transverse partition disposed along the 5 supplying the other compartment with high pressure steam, whereby on supplying the high pressure steam the velocity motion of the wort is increased, and breaks in the hop and wort boiling process are successively facilitated.

ROBERT C. SCHOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 289,717 Sauser et a1. Dec. 4, 1883 422,260 Stephens l Feb. 25, 1890 732,350 Henus June 30, 1903 953,607 Grantzdorffer Mar. 29, 1910 1,198,536 Goen Sept. 19, 1916 1,843,321 Hamburg Feb. 2, 1932 1,977,738 Olson Oct. 23, 1934 1,980,623 Kay et al Nov. 13, 1934 2,322,749 Silhavy June 29, 1943 2,354,093 Stein July 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 364,583 Germany Nov. 28, 1922

Images